Thursday, May 05, 2016

Brazilian MOH: Weekly Microcephaly Report - May 4th

#11,343

The Brazilian MOH Microcephaly report is out, albeit about 24 hours later than usual, and this week we see the number of new cases placed under investigation has increased by 115 after hitting a low of only 78 in the last report.

Both numbers are a fraction of the numbers we were seeing added only a couple of months ago. While the cause of this drop is unknown, a few possible factors include:

Much of Brazil was still in their winter dry season (Aug-Dec) - with presumably fewer mosquitoes - when this week's birth cohort were in their 1st & early 2nd trimester

Brazil's mosquito control efforts and mosquito protection awareness efforts were starting to ramp up during that time period as well

Meanwhile, upon further investigation, another 172 have been discarded as not meeting the criteria for microcephaly, while 73 were confirmed. The total remaining under investigation sits at 3,580.

While microcephaly is the most visibly apparent congenital defect, we've
been warned by CDC, NIH, and WHO that maternal Zika infection may
produce other, less obvious neurological deficits in developing fetuses.

Meaning it may be months or even years before we know whether any of these `discarded' cases will go on to display other congenital defects

The new epidemiological bulletin of the Ministry of
Health disclosed on Wednesday (4), points out that, until 30 April, were
confirmed 1,271 cases of microcefaliae other nervous system disorders,
suggestive of congenital infection in all país. No total of 7,343
suspected cases have been reported since the start of the investigation
in October 2015, and 2,492 were discarded. Other 3,580 are under investigation. The report meets weekly information submitted by state health departments.

Of the confirmed cases, 203 had laboratory confirmation to the Zika virus. However,
the Ministry of Health points out that this figure does not represent
adequately the total number of cases related to the virus. That is, the folder considers that there was infection Zika most of the mothers who had babies with a final diagnosis of microcephaly. In Brazil, the 1,271 confirmed cases occurred in 470 municipalities located in 25 states of the federation.

In the same period, there were 267
microcephaly suspicious deaths and / or alteration of the central
nervous system after birth or during pregnancy (miscarriage or
stillbirth) in the country. Of these, 57 were confirmed to microcephaly and / or alteration of the central nervous system. Other 178 are still under investigation and 32 were discarded.

Already
2,492 cases were discarded because of normal examinations or submit
microcefalias and / or changes in the central nervous system by an
infectious causes. It should be noted that the Ministry of
Health is investigating all cases of microcephaly and other disorders of
the central nervous system, informed the states, and the possible
relationship with the Zika virus and other congenital infections. Microcephaly may be caused by ,
various infectious agents beyond Zika as Syphilis, Toxoplasmosis, Other
Infectious Agents, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus and Herpes Viral.

The Ministry of Health advises pregnant women to adopt measures to reduce the presence of the mosquito Aedes aegypti , with the elimination of breeding sites ,
and protect themselves from mosquito exposure, keeping doors and closed
or screened windows, wear pants and long sleeved shirts and use
repellents allowed to pregnant women.